National Radio Midday Bulletin

Road Deaths Down – Doctors’ Strike – Auckland International Airport Strike – Integrated Defence Force – Palmerston North Murder – Christchurch Murder - Waikato Man Found Dead – Student Loans – Fraudster Trying To Held – Correspondence School – Concorde Disaster – Fiji Constitution – Tyre Recall Cover-Up – Ellis Inquiry – Algal Bloom

- ROAD DEATHS DOWN: Tougher penalties for speeding and cracking down on drink driving have been credited for the dramatic drop in New Zealand road deaths. 29 people died on New Zealand roads last month, compared with 62 deaths in August 1999.

- DOCTORS’ STRIKE: Chief executives from most of the country’s public hospitals are talking over proposals for a contract settlement which will end the junior doctors’ strike. The deadline for an answer on whether they would go ahead on revised pay offer has passed.

- AUCKLAND INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT PROFIT: Rising tourist numbers have seen Auckland International Airport register a $51m profit. The head of the airport expects increased tourist volumes to continue.

- INTEGRATED DEFENCE FORCE: The Government’s initial response to the idea of integrated defence forces for Australia and New Zealand has been cool. An Australian National Party senator Sandy McDonald made the suggestion, saying a united force will produce the best bang for the defence dollar. New Zealand Defence Minister Mark Burton says the idea has never been suggested by an Australian defence minister.

- PALMERSTON NORTH MURDER: Palmerston North police have said there were no obvious signs of a break-in at the house where a mother and daughter were murdered.

- CHRISTCHURCH MURDER: The Godley Head site where a Christchurch man was found murdered has been reopened to the public after a police examination of the area has concluded.

- WAIKATO MAN FOUND DEAD: Waikato police say they can not confirm how man found dead in his home came to die, however the inquiry head said there is evidence the man had been the victim of a violent attack.

- STUDENT LOANS: WINZ has promised students there will be a big improvement in how student loans are administered next year.

- FRAUDSTER TRYING TO HELP: A Dunedin 2nd hand dealer found guilty of defrauding the WINZ special grants system said he was only trying to help beneficiaries pay their bills.

- CORRESPONDENCE SCHOOL: Education Minister Trevor Mallard is warning future of the Correspondence School is under threat if major changes do not happen. He announced a restructuring of the school this morning.

- CONCORDE DISASTER: A preliminary report on the fatal Concorde crash has confirmed that a burst tire started a chain of events that led to the disaster.

- FIJI CONSTITUTION: Fiji’s Great Council of Chiefs has decided to go ahead with the formation of a new constitution amid widespread opposition.

- TYRE RECALL COVER-UP: The Ford Motor Co. is facing criminal charges over a huge tyre recall. Venezuelan authorities say Ford and Firestone conspired to cover up problems with the tyres that have been linked to at least 40 deaths.

- ELLIS INQUIRY: The mother of convicted child abuser Peter Ellis says he is shattered over the 6 month delay in the inquiry into the case.

- ALGAL BLOOM: The director of the Mussel Industry Council has said measures have been taken to ensure mussels affected by the toxic algal bloom will not reach the public.

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